WSP12200

• File Number: 8131.600
• Description: Southeastern Colorado Water conservancy District - SECWCD
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 2/7/1991
• Title: 1990 Annual Report - Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

o

A~ a re~ult of the above normal figures
(on page 13), the Bure<lu transported
90,800 acre-ff'el through the Boustead
Tunnel in 1983 and broke that record
in 1984 when they transported 110,000
acre.feet as a result of flooding
conditiom along the mainstem of the
Colorado Ri\if'r, all the Wiry to the Cult
of Caljfornia. In 1965 they imported
73,680 acre-feet, and only 30,300 in
1986, primanly due to lack of storage
space in the East Slope features of the
Project. In 1987 a near record low of
2,175 acre-feel, due in a large part to
the below normal snow pack. and
East Slope Re~r\l(ms which were full
of Projf>Ct, and waters owned by
olher entities. In 1988 the Bureau
imported lH51.14 acre-feel, consider.
ably Jess than the legal amount
authorized 10 the Project, but
restricted because of full conditions
in the Ea~t Slope Reservoirs. In
1989 a rotal of 36,000 acre-fet't
was imported.

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In 1990 the Bureau imported 46,000
acre-fPet of Project water. Early in the
year, snow readings were well below
the average, and it was .anticipated
approximately 20,000 acre-fPet or" new
Project water would be available.
Fortunately, heavy wet snows occurred
in the collection area in March, April,
and early May, which brought the
water comem to just below average.
On May t the Bureau advised the
District they would have 45,780 acre-
fPet available for allocation in 1990.
The Allocation Committee met on
May 10, 1990, ,md at the regular
monthly meeting of the Board of
Directors on May 17, 1990, the Board
allocated 43,780 dcre-feet, holding
2,000 acre-feet in rese~ for later
allocation. The District had recei\t.'d
requests for approximately 130,000
acre-fee!, reflecting the extremely
dry conditions which existed at that
time. This situation was relieved
considerably in July when heavy rains
occurred throughout the valley. On
July 20, a heavy rain and hail storm
hit the area between Rocl..y Ford and
ld JunIa, depositing from 2---6 inches
of water witt'un 24 hou~. The
weather station a! La Junt.:! recorded
5.14 inches of precipitalion in July.
as compared to normal of 1.92
inches. The July and August r.:!ins
enabled lhe irrigation companies to
continue 10 Slore 1990 Project
water in their .:!ccounts for use
in 1991.

16

On M<lfch 15, 1990, Steve Clark,
Project Manager jor the Project. met
with the members of the Board of
Directors .:!nd stelft to discuss requests
the Bureau had recei\t.'d from the
recently created Colorado Department
of Parks and Outdoor Recreation
"Arkansas Heeldwaters Recreation
Area" for releases of ProJect water in
July .:!nd !\ugustto maimain a minimum
flow in the Arkansas River between
Buena Vista and Canon City of 700
ds. The request was made on the pelrt
of commercial rafting. private boating.
and business in the affected area who
rely heavily on the rapidly growing
recreation industry for their economy.
Members of the Board voted to not
agree with the releases requested
because of the elnticipated shonage oj
Project water for municip<ll and
agricuhural purposes. A sub~uent
agreemenl was worked out, whereby
23,000 acre-feet of Project water were
delivered down the Arkansas River,
beginning July 13, and ending August
21. The Bureau identified that approxi.
mately 272 acre--feet were lost to
evaporation, as compared 10 holding
the water in Twin Lakes and Turquoise
for releases later in the year to Pueblo
Reser.oir. The District and the Bureau
agreed they would review the actual
results of the rele...ses early in 1991 to
evaluate benefits and possible injuries,
and develop plans for 1991. It was
agreed the releases benefitted the
recreation industry, but representatives
from the Division of Wildlife reported
concerns over the loss of fish produc.
tion, due to the higher flows in July
and August. The Bureau did agree to
mainlain flows during the wimer
months of 250 cf$. if requested by the
Division of Wildlife.

On March 15, the members of the
Board of Directors \.Uted unanimously
to authorize agricultural companies to
retain 1989 Project water in their
accoums beyond May 1. Dimict
policies provide thai Project water
sold to agricultural entities, and not
used by May I, of the following ~ar,
revem to the owne~hip of the District
for re--allocation fhat year. The
membe~ of the Board commend the
irrigation, ditch. and canal comp<lnies
for their prudent management of their
water supplies. and feel It best to
permit them to retain ownership.

In 1987 the District entered into a
cooperative study with the US Bureau

of Reclamation, fO review the overall
operations of the Project based upon
the record breaking conditions of the
previous four .,.ears. .'\ particular aspect
of the study was the possible enlarge--
ment of Pueblo Dam, which would
reduce the necessity to dump Wimer
Waler prematurely. as happened two
years in a row. On March 15, 1984
there were 283,000 acre-feet in Pueblo
Resel'\'Oir, which required release of
\Vimer Stored waler to make space
available for flood control. On
February 13, 1985 there were 295,000
acre--feet, which necessitated the
premature termination of the Program,
and the ultimate early release of
\Vimer Stored waler. The extensive
study done by the Bureau of Reclama-
tion was completed in September
1990, and is currently being reviewed
by the District and the City of Colorado
Springs for possible implementation of
plans 10 increase the capacity at
Pueblo Reservoir.

WINTER STORAGE PROGRAMS

When representatives from irrigation
comp<lnies in the Arkansas Valley, and
otficials from the Bureau of Reclama-
tion, first conceived the ide... oj a
multi-purpose project in the 1930's.
they determined that when a storage
reservoir was constructed upstream
from Pueblo, il should contain suffi-
cient space for the slorage of decreed
Welters during the non-irrigation
momhs in the winter. Such space was
buill in Pueblo Reser.oir.

The development of such a program
required that unanimous agreement be
reached among the owne~ of the
agricultural decrees to permit the
storage of such waters in accordance
with state law. Representatives from
the Dimict and each of the irrigation
canal companies, began to hold
meetings in 1969, and when Pueblo
Dam was completed in 1975,
unanimous agreement was reached to
begin a "\blum.ary Winter Storage
Program". They created .a Board of
Trustees consisting of one duly
appointed representalive from each of
the companies, with one alternate.
The General Manager of the District
became the Chairman. The membe~
of the BO<Ird held regular meetings
throughout each ~ar to evaluate the
results of the preceding \\'1nter Storage
Program, and to make adjustments to
improve the program the following